What a fucking joke. How much power does it take to heat their mansions? What's the MPG on their limos? How much fuel does their chartered jet's use?

Rich limo libs like these people are part of the problem. They'll be the first to tell YOU how to live, while they ride around in air-conditioned limos and heating the mansions.

Oh BTW Kari, thanks for the disclaimer on Earl's website - IT SUCKS!

Congrats to Earl. While not as dedicated as he is (a ten mile round trip bike ride to work in the rain wearing a suit is not on my agenda anytime soon), I occassionally sport the bicycle lapel pin he gave me in his office years ago. Too bad one apparently has to be a celebrity to be a "power couple" these days. I'll never understand why policymakers rely on the red carpet crowd for expert testimony or issue leadership. I'm reminded of Tom Cruise complaining that people are driving too much while filming "Days of Thunder" about a race car driver. Sheesh. Anyway, Earl is the real deal, always has been, always will be and he has my respect because of it.

Renfro was unmannerly, but his post wasn't as "wasteful" as rich environmentalists lifestyles must be by strict environmentalist standards.

We have heard often that Americans consume "more than their fair share" of resources. Surely individuals and couples with multiple homes, often of huge dimensions, and jet-setting lives must be among the highest per capita consumers of resources among Americans.

That's not to deny that many of these individuals do worthwhile work in protecting certain environmental assets. However, it's fair to point out that they are not conservative in their consumption. As someone once quipped, an environmentalist is someone who already has a swimming pool.

Do you seriously think this helps? It indulges the mindset that got us into this mess.

Carla, it may be a useful defense to note that many (male at least) douchbags freely admit their status by carving an asshole sign on their face, otherwise known as a goatee.

Personally, Renfro's comments were welcome. Oh, sorry, that's not in keeping with the flow of play here. I meant, personally, I think that anyone that can't see Renfro is spot on is a scumbag.

Why do people always speak like King James when pontificating in English?

We need to utilize everything in out power to reduce our dependence on foreign oil including using our own natural resources.OPEC will continue to cut production until they achieve their desired 80-100. per barrel. The high cost of fuel this past year seriously damaged our economy and society. Oil is finite. We are using oil globally at the rate of 2X faster than new oil is being discovered. We need to take some of these billions in bail out bucks and bail ourselves out of our dependence on foreign oil. Jeff Wilson has an eye opening new book out called The Manhattan Project of 2009 Energy Independence Now. He explores our uses of oil besides gasoline, our depletion, out reserves and stores as well as viable options to replace oil and the pros and cons of each. Oil is finite, it will run out in the not too distant future. WE need to take some of these billions in bail out bucks and bail America out of it's dependence on foreign oil. The historic high price of gas this past year did serious damage to our economy and society. WE should never allow others to have that much power over our economy again. I wish every member of congress would read this book too. http://www.themanhattanprojectof2009.com There could be no better investment in America than to invest in America becoming energy independent. Create cheap clean energy, millions of badly needed new green collar jobs, and reduce our dependence on foreign oil all in one fell swoop! America needs to wake up and smell the coffee.

Blumenauer and sustainable development? Sustainability starts with financial self-sustainability. Until bicycles are licensed and bicyclists directly taxed to pay for bicycle infrastructure, bicycling is not at all sustainable. When transit fares cover only twenty something percent of only the transit operations costs, and none of the capitol costs, transit is not sustainable. When the rhetoric suggests that taxpayer subsidized streetcars stimulate development and then the developers receive big tax breaks and property tax abatements, such developments are not sustainable. Blumenauer and sustainable development? NO way!

Karol sez: We Portlanders at times like to look down at folks who use plastic bags, buy cars bigger than your first grade backpack, and frown if someone says, "Safeway," instead of "New Seasons."

Sorry, Karol, but a bit of self-induced blindness on your part here, I would maintain. The signifiers you've listed are all about social class, not about where one lives or for whom one votes. I personally do not take part in your Frown-a-thon.

I'm probably considered slightly douchebaggy for bringing this up again, but it sure irks me when folks call Earl "progressive". Liberal, maybe, but there's nothing progressive about Earl's votes to keep funding the war or approve NAFTA-like trade deals. He doesn't even describe himself as a progressive, nor is he a member of the Progressive Caucus. District 3 should have someone much more progressive than Earl.

Okay Idler, I'll bite. Please post evidence that these individuals in question aren't practicing what they preach.

I didn't say they were not practicing what they preach. Frankly, I don't know the whole of what they preach and whether it's inconsistent or not. I only pointed out that they consume more, I'm sure far more, than other Americans.

Again, we often hear that Americans consume "more than their share" of resources; if that's the case, then these people are likely to "the worst of the worst" by that standard.

Please note that I gave them credit. Also, I didn't say they were hypocrites; perhaps they can square their levels of consumption with their specific activities. Surely it is better to advocate for various environmentally sound practices, including practices that create far less pollution even at higher levels of consumption, and also donate or invest in protecting resources. If they spend more to do things better, and they also gratuitously put their own money to good causes, they ought to be commended.

It is still worth observing that to the extent that environmentalism is about conservation of energy or space, they get low marks. Thus environmental gestures of rich people are a little like indulgences for their sins. The joke about the swimming pool is actually more to the point. Land gets developed to provide people places to live. It's a great deal easier to rail against development of resources when you already have a nice patch of land that came out of some forest.

Posted by: Carla Axtman | Feb 8, 2009 3:46:08 PM

Okay...let us delve. :)

Going with the premise that Brad and Angelina are flying all over the place, heating their home(s) with nonrenewable energy, etc. How are their efforts to green rebuilding in NO, funding a wildlife sanctuary, etc...bad and wrong, exactly?

It doesn't. The idea is that the trend of which they are a manifestation is precisely the trend that got us in environmental probs in the first place, namely, following material glitz like sheep and idolizing material things. If you feel that way, the suggestion would have to be that leaving their lifestyle aside and being public about that would be far more help to the environment than donating time and energy to a cause. It smacks of conscience cleansing and tax write-offs.

The reason that wasn't suggested politely, in my mind, would have to do with extending that trend into the headlines of a blog where one doesn't normally encounter that thinking, for the benefit of people that normal don't think that way. That bad influence doesn't have the offsetting green project, and spleen gets vented.

That's my take.

Actually, it was grist.org that picked the verbiage. I have to concur that it has totally discredited itself referring to our worst tendency as "power". Maybe it is. That sure bites hard. This culture has become so mendacious that it's a thoughtful, progressive question to coo and say, "but, what's wrong with that?"

Power corrupts. I am not interested in being presented with a list of environmentally friendly power people that I may genuflect to, their power projects or their power sex. BTW, did anyone notice that none of the aforementioned are any good actors?

OK. EB is a pretty good actor, but the rest suck. If this is the kind of thing someone likes reading, maybe they should be vegging in front of an old episode of "Friends" or some other cultural-propaganda-bullshit rather than spewing the little thought they can muster.

Posted by: Terry Parker | Feb 8, 2009 5:14:17 PM

Blumenauer and sustainable development? Sustainability starts with financial self-sustainability. Until bicycles are licensed and bicyclists directly taxed to pay for bicycle infrastructure, bicycling is not at all sustainable. When transit fares cover only twenty something percent of only the transit operations costs, and none of the capitol costs, transit is not sustainable. When the rhetoric suggests that taxpayer subsidized streetcars stimulate development and then the developers receive big tax breaks and property tax abatements, such developments are not sustainable. Blumenauer and sustainable development? NO way!

Translation: MY MONEY, MY MONEY, MY MONEY, MY MONEY, MY MONEY, MY MONEY, MY MONEY, MY MONEY, MY MONEY, MY MONEY, MY MONEY, MY MONEY, MY MONEY, MY MONEY, MY MONEY, MY MONEY, MY MONEY, MY MONEY, MY MONEY, MY MONEY, MY MONEY, MY MONEY, MY MONEY, MY MONEY, MY MONEY, MY MONEY, MY MONEY, MY MONEY, MY MONEY, MY MONEY, MY MONEY, MY MONEY, MY MONEY, MY MONEY, MY MONEY, MY MONEY. Oh, and Fuck You!

I SO want to find myself in a bike/car accident with you. I certainly hope there's a personal injury lawyer in your future. You have certainly earned it.

Most likely echoing his mother’s irritating bark, JJ F obviously expects the taxpayers and government welfare for bicyclists to fund his current way of life just like mommy and daddy funded his challenge to grow up before he reached what should have been the age of puberty. If JJ F finds himself knocked off his bicycle due to an impact with a automobile and ends up laying in the gutter where he belongs, the cause would undoubtedly be due too preoccupied spewing his trash talk of four letter words, and being too illiterate to read, understand and obey the meaning of the four letter word STOP that appears on big red signs at intersections all around town. May the fleas of 1000 wild dogs infest his smelly armpits.

One thing good about this blog is it helps you keep life in perspective. You cycle through the sleet and snow to save a few BTUs, and you start feeling good. Helps to pop in, have a read, and be reminded that you're scum of the earth.

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